New evidence indicates the late former McNairy County Sheriff Buford Pusser was responsible for his wife’s death in 1967.
A press conference was held Friday morning with evidence announced by District Attorney General Mark Davidson and TBI Director David Rausch.
During the press conference, information revealed inconsistencies with Sheriff Pusser’s story concerning his reported 1967 ambush shooting that killed his wife Pauline and injured him.
Exhaustive investigations into evidence now reveal the shooting of Pauline and Sheriff Pusser was a “staged crime scene”.
A tip in the case led authorities to exhume the body of Pauline Pusser from an Adamsville cemetery.
At the time of the August 12th of 1967 shooting in McNairy County, Sheriff Pusser reported his wife volunteered to ride with him to a disturbance call.
The Sheriff said a car pulled alongside his car and fired several shots, killing Pauline and causing him injuries.
The press conference said a look into the case in 2022 using physical, medical, forensic, ballistic and re-enactment evidence contradicted Pusser’s version of events.
District Attorney Davidson said Pauline Pusser was more “likely than not shot outside the vehicle, then placed in the vehicle” due to blood splatter on the hood.
Sheriff Pusser’s injuries were also determined to be at close range, indicating the injuries were self inflicted.
Davidson said if Buford Pusser was alive today, Pauline Pusser’s intentional death would have led to an indictment.
